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2 Rifle-area Facebook groups temporarily shut down

Posted: 11:58 PM, Jul 27, 2016

Updated:2016-07-28 01:58:13-04

By:
Associated Press

RIFLE, Colo. (AP) -- Two Facebook groups used by people in the western Colorado community of Rifle were temporarily shut down this week apparently because the company believed they were violating its policy barring private gun sales.

The groups, which both have "Rifle" in their names, are used to sell and swap items and post community information. The Glenwood Post Springs Independent (http://bit.ly/2avQT9m ) reports they were disabled Monday but back up on Tuesday.

Group administrators say they both got messages from Facebook saying the pages were disabled for violating its policy against "buying or selling firearms or other regulated goods." In a statement, Facebook said the decision was a mistake and apologized but didn't explain its reasoning.

Facebook announced in January it was banning private gun sales to prevent sales to people not allowed to own firearms.